Fissure
by carzla
Summary: [One Shot: SPOILERS] Awashima saw a lot more than she let on. Including the subtle cracks that appeared in the Blue King as the situation with the Red King and the Colorless King deteriorated.


_**Fissure**_

_K belongs to GoRA. This contains spoilers for the entire season of K, including the last episode; feel free to hit the back button if you do not wish to be spoiled. I only own this little idea. Thank you._

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**Full Summary:**

**[One Shot – Series Spoilers] Awashima Seri saw a lot more than she'd ever let on. Including the subtle cracks that began to appear in the Blue King as the situation with the Red King and the Colorless King continued to deteriorate.**

* * *

Ask anyone in SCEPTER4 and they will agree that Awashima Seri is a most capable Lieutenant, if a little coldhearted at times. There is no doubt in the ranks that she had the ability to get where she is in the male-dominated division.

Awashima knows, however, that there is more than just her competence that landed her with her current position. There is one quality that the Blue King had seen in her that had been the deciding factor.

Awashima Seri knows discretion and applies it very well.

Little gets by her, but she knows when it's worth bringing it up and when things can just slide by without mention. It's not a trait that would be normally attributed to her for she appears to go strictly by the book, but it is certainly one that she possesses. It was this aspect of her that made Munakata Reishi pick her out of the other equally outstanding candidates to stand by his side as his second-in-command.

It's not that Awashima knew for certain that this is why she'd been chosen in the beginning. It's through her own observations that she's been able to discern this eventually.

Munakata is a man of many secrets, one of which is his relationship with the current Red King, Suou Mikoto. All the Kings knew each other, or at least about each other, but Awashima knows that the Blue and Red King have history. Personal history.

She'd deemed this to be of little concern when she first realized it because Munakata still took his duties very, very seriously and professionally, even if Suou was personally involved in them. The Blue King doesn't show favoritism or leniency in official SCEPTER4 matters, so Awashima couldn't care less about what personal entanglements they may or may not still be having.

(It's not like she can be critical of the two Kings since she has a strange friendship with a certain bartender too.)

Then the murder of Totsuka Tatara happens.

Awashima has quite the knowledge base on HOMRA's core members. Part of it is due to her job, and SCEPTER4 has an extensive database on all things supernatural, Kings and their Clans. But it is more personal knowledge that she knows that Totsuka is the heart of HOMRA, for all that he is the weakest in terms of raw power.

It is bad enough to pick on anyone in the Red Clan for they are a clan with strong bonds. But targeting Totsuka and then actually killing him is as good as painting a large, bright target on your own back for the Red King himself.

Since then, things have not been normal or routine.

HOMRA, as expected, went on a rampage to find out who Totsuka's murderer was. Since it involved a Clan and a potential showdown between two Kings if HOMRA got to the murderer first, SCEPTER4 was invariably called in to deal with them before that happened. Thus came the successful and far too easy arrest of Suou… and the start of more problems.

It was routine to have an officer or more keep an eye on the cameras monitoring the inmates. It was _not_, however, routine for Awashima herself to be doing that. But Munakata had suddenly delegated it to her, albeit temporarily, and then made his leave… Only to appear in the very camera feeds she'd been tasked to monitor – the security feeds from Suou Mikoto's cell.

The conversation between the two Kings started typically enough, if a little violently with the method employed to wake Suou from his apparent slumber. Munakata wanted Suou to renounce his throne to prevent another Kagutsu Crater incident. The two men were showing some form of familiarity with each other, but not really past anything Awashima felt was out of ordinary. Until, Suou responded to Munakata's words about finding a method to lock the Red King up permanently.

"_There __**is **__one way to keep me locked up forever. __**You**__ could do it, Munakata. The Blue King can personally keep an eye on me. Twenty four hours a day, inside this cell. If I become violent, you can restrain me by force."_

Awashima was well aware that the Red King spoke with a drawl most of the time, as if he could care less about the world. But combining the tone of voice that Suou was using with his words… it was setting a vastly more intimate implication to his words than merely having it be a suggestion to keep himself securely imprisoned.

For once, she wondered if she was reading more into the situation than she normally did. She had thought that the two Kings were friends outside of their official work capacities. But this little thread of conversation was starting to make her think otherwise, to make her think that they were perhaps closer than friends. For once, she was going to let herself doubt her own judgment, until she caught the last exchange between the two men.

"_I'm sorry that you feel that way, Munakata."_

"…_me too, Suou."_

This, or at least the possibility of this happening, was likely to be the reason why Munakata had abruptly assigned her to watch over the security feeds. Awashima wasn't sure if Munakata knew for certain that she'd already picked up on his more personal relationship with Suou, but clearly, he knew enough about her discretion to trust her in seeing this. So when Munakata returned and dismissed her from the security room, she left without a word to indicate that she'd found anything amiss.

If she turned her head back slightly, as the door was closing behind her to watch her King watching the feeds to Suou's cell intently… Well, nobody needed to know that.

Nobody else also needed to know that a sense of unease had started to form inside of her.

* * *

A few days later, leading a small group of men to Ashinaka High School to find their murder suspect became just a little more complicated than she would've expected.

Fushimi Saruhiko had entered SCEPTER4 sometime after Awashima's promotion. It was still recent enough for her to remember, but not so recent for gossip to still be prevalent, that Fushimi was once from HOMRA. Now, virtually no one in the division remembered or cared that Fushimi had had a former Clan, and one that was a direct rival to the Blue Clan to boot.

She remembered expressing her doubts about accepting Fushimi into SCEPTER4 to Munakata, had wondered if it could be a ploy by the Red King to have a spy within the Blue Clan. But her doubts and objections had not swayed her King away from his decision to let the teenager in. She also remembered keeping what was likely a closer eye on Fushimi than she usually did to the other newbies.

(If it was also partly because she'd received a call the same night Fushimi had been accepted into the ranks of the Blue Clan from a certain someone… Well.)

Fushimi had progressed well, and had rapidly risen in position. Despite his general laziness and façade of disinterest, Fushimi was extremely intelligent and did good work. There was also the fact that when it came to HOMRA, the teenager sometimes became a little _too _enthusiastic. She wasn't always present when the Blues had skirmishes with the Reds, but she had ears and had heard one too many times about how Fushimi had almost single-handedly won the fight, never mind that SCEPTER4 specialized in organized group battle tactics.

Baring those incidents with HOMRA, Fushimi wasn't a problematic individual in general. So, when Fushimi disappeared midway through her meeting with the Ashinaka High school principal, she hadn't been too worried. Fushimi sometimes employed… unorthodox means of obtaining information, something she felt was a remnant of the days he spent in HOMRA. But as long as nobody was harmed, and they could get the information they needed, she would close an eye to it.

She never would have expected them to run into two HOMRA members who had entered the school to search for the murder suspect as well.

Awashima had known from the moment that Fushimi had drawn his sword that something was wrong. So she'd done her best to conclude her meeting with the principal as fast as possible to look for Fushimi. When she'd seen the spiraling fiery tornado, she understood why Fushimi had drawn his sword. What she did not expect, however, was the expression of mad delight on Fushimi's usually bored mien. She'd seen annoyance on the teenager's face, but to her knowledge, the teenager had never really smiled in the time he'd been part of SCEPTER4. It was surprising then, to see his face twisted by a crazed smile.

Knowing that she couldn't let the fight continue, she'd drawn her own blade and intervened. When the red tornado faded, letting her see the other teenager who'd been fighting Fushimi, Awashima felt belated realization hit her.

Yata Misaki, also known as "Yatagarasu". Yet another core member of HOMRA, and one of the more enthusiastic ones in showing his dedication to HOMRA and Suou Mikoto. More importantly…

Fushimi Saruhiko's former partner and best friend.

For the time being, she put away those realizations and concentrated on her job, which currently included making sure a fight did not start up again between the two teenagers. When it seemed that Yata was still reluctant to let things go, she sighed and brought him up to date on Suou's situation in SCEPTER4. It was the right thing to do and the two young men withdrew.

That night, however, Awashima found that she could not let go of the incident she'd witnessed today. She had long assumed that Fushimi hated HOMRA, but she was starting to reconsider that assumption.

Today, she'd seen a side of Fushimi she'd never seen before. Fushimi hadn't seemed like the type of person to enjoy senseless violence. But if there wasn't even a little bit of that in him, then it would've been not really possible for him to be a part of the Red Clan in the first place. So, no, there was a part of Fushimi that was like the Red Clan, and that part seemed to come out in full force when he came up against Yata Misaki.

Fushimi enjoyed fighting against Yata. Perhaps it was more accurate to say that the bespectacled teen _reveled _in it, judging by the expression she'd seen him wear earlier in the day. There was a suspicion sneaking up on her that she did not want to give voice to.

Fushimi might hate HOMRA, but he did not hate Yata Misaki.

(It wasn't a coincidence that she dropped into a certain bar the next morning for a drink. In her defense, nobody else made a meaner martini in just the way she liked it.)

* * *

When the Red King broke out of his cell and then proceeded to take the island school of Ashinaka High School hostage with the rest of HOMRA, Awashima could not say that she was surprised. It still stung that she'd been so useless in preventing Suou Mikoto's escape, even though logic dictated that only another King could stand up to a King. No matter how powerful a clansman was, a King… was that. A King.

It also did not surprise her much when Munakata requested a personal favor from her. She'd known before he'd even voiced the actual request that he wanted a private meeting with Suou. Perhaps it was a little unprofessional, but Awashima could not bring herself to deny this request. It may also have a little to do with the expression on her King's face as he'd spoken.

Munakata had always drawn a clear line between private and official matters, setting an example for the rest of his Clan. This blurring of the line had been coming. By this point, Awashima was certain that there was more than just simple friendship between the Blue and Red Kings, was certain that at least on Munakata's part that it ran deeper… Perhaps far too deep for the Blue King's own good because there was only so many ways the current situation could play out, and most of them did not involve a peaceful resolution.

Munakata had trusted her with this secret of his, and it was time for her to return that trust.

Arranging the rendezvous itself wasn't complicated. Kusanagi understood the need for this meeting despite his words in the beginning. Awashima also believed that their role as right-hand man and woman to their respective Kings was a lot more similar than at first glance even if she could not claim to share the friendship that Kusanagi had with Suou with Munakata.

"_I'll call you later."_

The meeting point settled and with the reassurance that both Kings would not be interrupted by anyone from HOMRA as well, Awashima reported the news back to her King. Munakata thanked her again, a hint of a grateful smile on his face, before turning away from her and the rest of SCEPTER4 to stride away towards the island.

As she watched her King disappear into the distance, she hoped that the outcome of the rendezvous would be favorable. She could admit to herself, that a part of that wish did not come from a purely professional and rational point of view.

Sometime later, when Munakata finally returned, Awashima felt a chill envelop her heart. Her King was as poised and stoic as ever, but the set of his shoulders were now more rigid and tense compared to before he'd left. He did not look at her as he walked past, and though Munakata took his place with the rest of SCEPTER4… Awashima knew that his heart, at that moment, was not fully with them.

The unease that had been plaguing her since she'd witnessed Suou's and Munakata's exchange in the cell intensified.

When the order to enter the school came, she was not surprised and wished she could say otherwise when Munakata left her in-charge of the Blue Clan. The line was as good as erased now, but she rationalized it as the fact that only a King would be able to deal with another King on equal ground. It wasn't personal feelings entering the fray… or at least, that would be her official stance on it.

* * *

Watching from afar, Awashima could not see nor begin to fathom what was happening on the now-deserted school island. Deserted save for the four Kings left behind to put an end to the chain of events that led up to this very moment. Four different Swords of Damocles were suspended in the air, the only signs that the four Kings were still alive at the moment.

A short moment ago, Fushimi had rejoined the SCEPTER4 ranks, having been dropped off quite literally a distance away from where the Blue Clan had been waiting. Awashima had watched it happen, and had almost thought that Fushimi might just return to HOMRA.

He was the last to return and had been fighting Yatogami Kurou even though orders had been released to help evacuate the school grounds. The fact that the only other person still hell bent on fighting the Black Dog was Yata Misaki had likely played a part in Fushimi's decision to ignore orders. It wasn't that Fushimi was an exemplary model subordinate, but he rarely outright defied a direct order. Awashima had wondered if Fushimi and Yata had, somehow, gotten over their differences. It seemed, however, to not be the case.

"_I thought you might have returned to your old gang."_

"_Does it look that way?"_

She wasn't sure why she continued her conversation with Fushimi. Perhaps it had been to try and get her mind to focus on something other than worry. Perhaps it was because she knew Fushimi would not breathe a word of their conversation to anyone else. She knew that the Silver King was planning to put an end to this entire affair, and she knew that she trusted the First King to some level. Possibly more than she usually would to someone whom she'd only known for such a short period of time. But it still wasn't enough to fully assuage her worries.

The glare that she shot Fushimi when he suggested that Munakata might sacrifice himself to prevent another Kagutsu Crater incident, she would admit was probably a little too harsh. Fushimi had hit a little too close to home about the source of her hidden worries, even though he did not know it.

Munakata Reishi was an exceptional leader and King. No matter how capable she knew she was, at this moment, Awashima did not want another King, did not want to consider having to succeed him.

For all of Fushimi's dismissive attitude towards Kings, she couldn't help but feel that there was a grain of truth to the jaded teenager's words. Kings were above their common clansmen through their own power perhaps, more so because of the title and the near immediate respect given to them. They are supposed to rule, remain untouchable… and it is lonely at the top.

"_Maybe that's why they're only attracted to other Kings."_

* * *

Nobody could've missed the huge explosion that rocked the island, a giant raging inferno of red that dyed the sky with its conflagration. She had no doubt that that was the work of the Red King, and as two Swords of Damocles faded from the sky, she knew that the Red Clan had gotten their revenge.

But now came the crucial moment. She did not need the report from one of the officers monitoring Suou's Weismann level to know that it had now far exceeded its limits. When the explosion died away, she could see for herself the state of the Red King's Sword.

It was in shambles, crumbling even further and even faster… and then, it was falling.

Awashima held her breath.

For long moments, there was only silence. Until…

"_Mikoto!"_

The cry that pierced through the cloying calm came from the little girl, Anna. Awashima understood what it meant. At least, what it meant for HOMRA.

For SCEPTER4, the good news was that there would not be another Kagutsu Crater incident. But it still did not allay her fears.

Where was _their_ King?

The sky no longer held signs of any Swords of Damocles, which did not leave her with many other clues. There was the hope that Munakata had survived, because surely, as a Blue Clansman, she would've felt something if he had…

"_It's the Captain!"_

She let out a sigh of relief; Munakata appeared unharmed. Around her, most of SCEPTER4 was cheering. As her King got closer, however, as she took in the near expressionless mien, as she watched the man use a blood-stained hand to put on his spare pair of glasses… Awashima knew that that was not true.

The Blue King was physically unharmed, but emotionally…

The blood on Munakata's hand unquestionably belonged to Suou Mikoto. Around them, the loud chanting from HOMRA as a last homage to pay their respects to their King filled the cold evening air…

_No Blood. No Bone. No Ash._

All that is left of Suou Mikoto now would surely be the remnants of blood on Munakata Reishi's hands. A memento that was not meant to, and would not ever last, fitting of the Red Clan's motto. To go out in a blaze of glory, leaving nothing but memories behind… and even memories would one day fade.

Munakata remained silent, even as he drew up next to her. He merely nodded and she knew what she had to do. Turning to face the rest of the men, she ordered the swift withdrawal of their forces. There was still much work to be done, at least in terms of paperwork. More importantly, even though she was not asked for it this time, Awashima was going to give it her all to ensure that her King was able to grieve in peace and away from the eyes of his subordinates.

It was as Fushimi had said, that Kings were lonely, perhaps even sad, existences. They're not allowed to show weakness to their Clansmen. They are put up on a pedestal, and the only ones who can touch them as equals are those who are on pedestals themselves.

As night fell rapidly, as it was prone to do in winter, the dark sky was lit up momentarily with the last of the Red Clan's auras. Following the red glow with her eyes, Awashima inadvertently let her gaze fall on the profile of her King staring out into the distance, into the vividly red aurora.

And if she witnessed a lone tear sliding down his cheek, reflecting the light from the last vestiges of red… No one needed to know that.

(Later that night, if she found herself letting little Anna sleep on her bed while Awashima shared a couch with a very quiet Kusanagi… That was their secret too.)

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**This started out as a Awashima POV on Reishi and Mikoto, and then somehow evolved into including a side of Saruhiko and Misaki and hints of Kusanagi and Awashima. All. The. Episode. #13. Feels.**

**So, this also marks my last fic for 2012, and with episode #13 still giving me sad!fic ideas... I wonder what will be my first fic of 2013...**

**Hope you enjoyed reading!**

_**carzla**_


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